Savory Sweet Potato Waffles with Almond Maple Ricotta

Who says waffles have to be sweet? Not us! You’ll love these savory sweet potato waffles with almond maple ricotta and so will your body. You’ll find almond flour in the waffles and almonds as the base for the dairy free ricotta on top. Almonds are a wonderful source of many nutrients, but today we are going to focus on two powerhouses: Vitamin E and magnesium.

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin with high antioxidant potential. Almonds are one of the best sources for Vitamin E you can find.

Vitamin E and Brain Health

A study of almost 3,000 elderly patients demonstrated the promising effects of Vitamin E on brain health. This study showed that Vitamin E supplementation is directly linked with less cognitive decline in elderly populations. (R) Additionally, a separate study showed that Alzheimer’s patients experienced a slow in the progression of their disease with Vitamin E treatment. (R)

Vitamin E and Cancer Prevention

Because of the antioxidant potential of Vitamin E, it has been studied extensively in cancer prevention. A 4 year study involving over 35,000 women showed that a high intake of Vitamin E has the potential to decrease the risk of colon cancer, especially in a population under 65 years old. (R) But these benefits are not just for women. Another study showed that Vitamin E supplementation substantially reduced the incidence of prostate cancer and mortality in a male population. (R)

Vitamin E and Heart Health

Atherosclerosis is perpetuated by oxidation of lipoproteins in the body. As antioxidants protect against free radicals and oxidative stress, Vitamin E has been studied for its effects on heart health. Along with other antioxidant nutrients, Vitamin E has been shown to protect against heart disease, significantly reducing the incidence of mortality due to heart failure in both men and women. (R) Another study that just focused on the female population showed that Vitamin E reduces the risk of coronary heart disease among middle aged women. (R)

Magnesium

Magnesium is an important, naturally occurring mineral mostly concentrated in your musculoskeletal system. As the fourth most abundant mineral in your body, magnesium wears many important hats. Science has identified more than 300 reactions depending on magnesium including metabolism, reproduction and DNA synthesis, to name a few. Almonds are a great source of dietary magnesium, with just 2 ounces containing about half of the recommended daily value. (R)

Magnesium and Brain Health

Magnesium plays many important roles in brain function. Deficiency in magnesium can cause damage to the neurons that can manifest as depression. (R) Because of this significant association between low magnesium levels and depression, magnesium has been studied extensively as a potential treatment for depression. The findings have shown that magnesium has a protective effect against depression and can result in rapid recovery for major depression. (R)(R)

Magnesium and Heart Health

Magnesium is an essential part of blood pressure regulation. (R) Studies have suggested that magnesium supplementation can lower blood pressure and increase HDL, the “good” cholesterol. (R)(R) These results are not just limited to supplementation, but also to increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. (R)

Magnesium and Blood Sugar

Studies have shown that magnesium supplementation can improve insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic patients with insulin resistance. (R) This demonstrates its potential in preventing insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. (R) But magnesium does not just help prevent type 2 diabetes, it also helps treat it. Magnesium deficiency is very high in the type 2 diabetic population. Magnesium can be used to correct this deficiency and help control the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. (R)

The recipe below is a wonderful way to incorporate antioxidants and all the health benefits of almonds into your diet. This recipe makes more ricotta than you’ll need, but it keeps great in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Try adding your own spices and herbs to make it your own.

Personalize It

For lower fat diets, skip the almond ricotta. You can switch out the sweet potatoes with any other shredded root vegetables. Try it with some different spices, like nutmeg, to switch the flavors up.

Recipe compatibility with your diet type

Everyday

1–2 times per week

Never, or 2–4 times per month

This recipe has been custom designed for Agrarian, Lean Machine, Mediterranean, Mosaic, Nordic, Trainer, Urban Grazer and West Angeleno diet types, learn more.

Danielle Moore

Danielle Moore is a professional recipe developer, Nutrition expert, food photographer and lover of veggies. Read her full bio here.